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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27146356">Suck it and See</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cueestam/pseuds/Cueestam'>Cueestam</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alex Turner - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Anger Management, Anxiety Disorder, Drunken Flirting, F/M, Fear, Friendship / Flirting / Thinking of You Fest, Music, Playful Sex, References to Arctic Monkeys, Sex, Sexual Frustration</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:55:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27146356</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cueestam/pseuds/Cueestam</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I turn to the side at the man on the chair.<br/>“Such a funny way to start the day, isn’t it?” I look down to his part of the counter. “But well, I guess for you it’s an ending.”<br/>He has a glass of whisky and ice. <br/>He lifts up his head and nods a bit.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Turner (Musician)/Original Female Character(s), Alex Turner (Musician)/Reader, Alex Turner - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Poppy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first fanfic, it will include sexual content and it’s done with lots of love. Please, be kind and leave coments if you’d like more chapters, it’ll be really apreciated. Hope you enjoy it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was walking to the Steem Yard in Division Street at the Sheffield City Centre, it was 10 in the morning, Monday.</p>
<p>First thing I saw when I entered the local was Michael, the barman.</p>
<p>“Hi Poppy” he said, “how are you feeling today?”</p>
<p>“Feeling kind of <em>latte</em> today.” I answered while I was sitting at the bar counter.</p>
<p>By the time the coffee was done, my phone started to rang. I pick it up.</p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>“Hi Poppy” said Clarke “I found the answers for the Thursday assignment. Maybe we could hang out on Wednesday and fill it up. I don’t think it’ll take too long.”</p>
<p>“Oh fuck! That’s great, Clarke. I’m a bit busy this week – a total lie, only that I wanted to paint a bit- but I’ll find some time on Wednesday. Your place?”</p>
<p>“Yes. A friend of mine handled it to me from the year before. Nice, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Fuck yeah! Okay then, see you on Wednesday.” I hung up.</p>
<p>I start sipping my coffee when I notice that Michael gave me the <em>London cup</em> again.</p>
<p>“Oh, come on Michael. How do I get to tell you that I’m not a stranger anymore? Change me the bloody cup, for God’s sake!”</p>
<p>“Honey, you’ll be <em>the new</em> as long as you keep being it. You can’t change that, somebody else’s have to.” He laughs.</p>
<p>I roll my eyes and ignore him. I keep sipping.</p>
<p>Tame Impala’s Lost in Yesterday starts to sound while a tall handsome man enters the local. Everyone starts to say hello to him and greeting him with ‘how’s your day going, mate?’. Who the fuck is he anyways? I keep sipping and he sits at the stool next to me.</p>
<p>“Same as always.” He spits.</p>
<p>“Said and done.” Michael answers.</p>
<p>A few minutes and another guy sits next to my other side. He starts to babble some words to Michael saying something about some “lost money” and some “bitches that he couldn’t get straight”. To be honest, I don’t even mind until he starts to mention me on his talk and saying that his last one looked like me, brown hair and blue eyes, kind of skinny…</p>
<p>While I look for another sit, far away from this drunk dickhead, he puts his hand near to my coffee and it almost falls.</p>
<p>“…You see, cutie? Isn’t it funny? She left me and I met her just like you. In some bar counter, there somewhere.” He stares deeply at me even though I’m not looking at him.</p>
<p>I glance at him.</p>
<p>“She left me because she said I didn’t have enough money!” He shouts to me while spitting in my coffee.</p>
<p>I turn around to him and I stare deeply.</p>
<p>“You see? Sometimes people take things for granted.” I turn to Michael with a funny expression.</p>
<p>Michael looks at me with a scary expression like I shouldn’t have said that. The man who sat at the other side gives me half a look and frowns his eyebrows. I turn to the drunk guy again.</p>
<p>“Just as you take for granted that you’re talking to a young girl that will do nothing about you spitting on her coffee.”</p>
<p>Michael’s face starts to look terrified, like a fight in his bar was about to happen.</p>
<p>I let the coffee fall onto his hands on purpose.</p>
<p>“AH! YOU FUCKING-“ He screams.</p>
<p>“Oh my! I’m so sorry! Did it hurt?” I ask him with a smirk.</p>
<p>“FUCKING BITCH!” He gets up in an angry expression.</p>
<p>Michael comes out of the counter in fear that he might try to hurt me.</p>
<p>I put the feet out of the stool and while he tries to catch me and before Michael can grab him, he falls.</p>
<p>The man on my side and all the other people sitting nearby hear him fall and make a scare sound.</p>
<p>“Poppy!” Michael screams angrily to me.</p>
<p>I turn my head watching Michael take the swearing man outside and while he’s outside I enter the other side of the counter.</p>
<p>The man who was sitting near me shifts up his head in order to say something to me, like if I couldn’t be there.</p>
<p>I grab a dishcloth and I start cleaning up the mess I’ve made before.</p>
<p>“If you hadn’t made such a mess, you wouldn’t have to clean it up now.” The man says.</p>
<p>I shift my head a bit and stare into him.</p>
<p>“Don’t get the wrong idea, I don’t feel guilty about the dickhead. I feel guilty for Michael.” I spit.</p>
<p>“Such an emphatic woman with such an angry insides can’t be a good match, sweetheart.”</p>
<p>“Such a big mouth with such a big criticism can’t either. But here we are.”</p>
<p>The man huffs and lowers his head with a smirk. I just finish the cleaning.</p>
<p>I turn around and make another coffee from the machine.</p>
<p>“Is it Poppy your real name, honey?” He asks at my back while he lights a cigarette.</p>
<p>“It is.” I answer. “What’s yours, though?” I turn around with my coffee and go back to my seat.</p>
<p>“Alexander” He spits. “Alex. Turner, in fact”.</p>
<p>I look at him with an strange look. Where does that name sounds from?</p>
<p>I stare at him wondering. He looks at me in confusion and tilts his head a bit.</p>
<p>“Don’t you know who I am?” He says.</p>
<p>“Actually, no. Should I?” I ask.</p>
<p>“Actually, no.” He repeats.</p>
<p>Michael enters the local in a hurry.</p>
<p>“POPPY.”He says angrily. “Come here.”</p>
<p>I close my eyes and open them again.</p>
<p>“I’m here.”</p>
<p>Michael approaches to me from the other side of the counter.</p>
<p>“Listen, Poppy. You can’t just- just do <em>that</em>, okay?”</p>
<p>“Do what?” I ask clueless.</p>
<p>“Poppy, come on.” He says desperately. “He could’ve hurt you!”</p>
<p>“Michael! He spitted on my coffee! What was I supposed to do?”</p>
<p>“I’d have made you another one! You could’ve take another sit or something, Poppy. I don’t know. I could’ve handle it at first but not at the end, you understand?” He sounds really worried. “You’re only 20, Poppy. Please.”</p>
<p>“Okay Michael. Sorry about the coffee. But it’s not my attitude the problem, it’s his. And don’t tell me otherwise.”</p>
<p>“No Poppy. It’s your safety the problem.” He sighs. “Whatever.”</p>
<p>I put the money on the table and stare at Michael for the last time. He looks at me for a while and grabs my shoulders. He approaches me to him and I get up a bit so he can plant a kiss on my forehead.</p>
<p> I go back to my place and get up.</p>
<p>“Goodbye, Michael.” I smile to him.</p>
<p>“Goodbye Pops.” He smirks.</p>
<p>I turn to the side at the man on the chair.</p>
<p>“Such a funny way to start the day, isn’t it?” I look down to his part of the counter. “But well, I guess for you it’s an ending.”</p>
<p>He has a glass of whisky and ice.</p>
<p>He lifts up his head and nods a bit.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Alex</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I came out from the Steem Yard at 11 AM and I couldn’t even walk properly. The sun was shining harder than ever. Maybe it was because of the drinks. It obviously were the drinks. The words she said were playing games in my tired mind like in a rollercoaster. <em>Big mouth</em>? <em>Criticism</em>? What the fuck? More of an <em>ending</em> than a <em>start</em>? Well, it was obvious that I hadn’t touched my bed since yesterday but, can’t I have a whisky for breakfast or what? That girl had such a pretty face but also such angry insides. She looked like a million dollars in a bag full of snakes, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>Matt was waiting for me outside of the bar when I saw him. I put my sunglasses on and walked towards him.</p>
<p>“How’s that going, mate?” I asked him.</p>
<p>“Alex, we had the recording today. You know I can’t do it all alone. To be honest, what the fuck are we doing if you’re not even coming?” He was angry.</p>
<p>“It’s all right mate. I didn’t say I wasn’t coming. In fact, I was heading to the office.”</p>
<p>“No. You weren’t. Come on, Alex. I know you like your husky voice on the backgrounds but you can not have it in all the songs.”</p>
<p>I just nod with my head while I light a cigarette.</p>
<p>“Tomorrow. Nine fucking o’clock. There’s no more chances. Go in.” He opens the car’s door.</p>
<p>“I was going to pick the train anyway, so there’s no need.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, fucking train in fucking Sheffield Center. Shut the fuck up already.”</p>
<p>“Nobody stopped me at the bar, why can’t I take the train?”</p>
<p>“Yeah because there’s no young people around in that old bar where only drunk and elders go.” He spits.</p>
<p>“That’s not true” I say while we get in the car. “I just saw a young girl today, and she just talked to me like if I was her worst enemy.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure it wasn’t one of your mistakes?” He smirks while starting the engine.</p>
<p>“Yeah, dude. I date crazy bitches but not smart bitches and I swear to God that that chick was hell of intelligent. She described me perfectly in less than a sentence and three words.”</p>
<p>“Which were the words?”</p>
<p>“<em>Big mouth </em>and <em>criticism</em>.”</p>
<p>“Hahaha” He laughs. “She got you, hahaha.”</p>
<p>We arrived at my place at like 11:20.</p>
<p>“There you go. Don’t drink anymore today, I think you had enough.” Matt says while I open the car’s door.</p>
<p>“You need to stop following me around, okay?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t follow you, I’ve just known you for too long.”</p>
<p>“Go fuck yourself. Thank you, though.”</p>
<p>“See you tomorrow, Alex.”</p>
<p>I close the door and head inside.</p>
<p>“Maria.”</p>
<p>“Yes, sir?”</p>
<p>“Is my bed done?”</p>
<p>“You didn’t touch it yet, sir.”</p>
<p>“Go ahead and mess it up.”</p>
<p>“What? Why would you like me to mess up the bed if it’s done?”</p>
<p>“Bring the acoustic guitar to the garden and do as I say. My mind won’t work if at least I don’t pretend that I’m full of energy. I’ll come when I have showered.”</p>
<p>“O-Okay, sir.”</p>
<p>I shower and head to the garden. Sun’s not shinning that hard there. I grab my guitar and my notes but nothing seems to come. I start doing some chords and shitty falsettos. I know Matt told me that we have to record but, honestly, I fucking hate the album.</p>
<p>My mind starts to flow with the words Poppy said before and I start writing some dribbles.</p>
<p>Poppy looked like she had never lost anything, nor any fight.</p>
<p>
  <em>You looked like you’ve been for breakfast at the Heartbreak Hotel</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And sat at the back of the booth</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>By the books on how to lose</em>
</p>
<p>I kind of like it so I start humming some melodies. Come on, what can you also find at the Heartbreak Hotel? Waiters, waitresses, cooks…</p>
<p>
  <em>Your waitress was miserable and so was your food</em>
</p>
<p>By the end of the day, a new song was born. I’m really, really tired but also so excited to show the guys something different to what we’ve done since now, and also something I enjoy singing and not the same bullshit as always.</p>
<p>Now it’s time to go to sleep for sure. Maybe I should sleep less, songs seem to come when I’m at my worst.</p>
<p>At 7:30 AM I’m already shaving my beard. By 8 o’clock I was arriving to Steem Yard.</p>
<p>When I got out of the car, Poppy was entering the local.</p>
<p>“Morning, Michael.” She says.</p>
<p>Michael greets Poppy with a “Hello, Poppy. How are you feeling today?”</p>
<p>“Kind of <em>macchiato</em> today, I think.”</p>
<p>Today the Steem Yard looks empty even though there’s some elders having their coffee.</p>
<p>“What will the gentleman have?” Michael asks me while I look around.</p>
<p>“I’ll have <em>a proper start of the day</em> so another one for me, please.”</p>
<p>Poppy turns around in surprise.</p>
<p>“I thought you were more of an Irish coffee person.” She turns around. “Although I appreciate your willing to change your nutrition for good, Alexander.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I love whisky. Not on coffee though.” I sit at the stool next to her again. “Still, how are you so sure that coffee is not my usual?”</p>
<p>That girl is something. Last time I had coffee for breakfast I was still dating Alexa.</p>
<p>“I don’t really know, actually. But go ahead, surprise me.”</p>
<p>“Well, since you ask, there are some days when I have pancakes and omelets and bacon and… you know… even more proper breakfasts than a coffee.” Michael lends us the coffee. “And to have coffee everyday for breakfast… I just don’t think it’s something to be proud of. Do you?” I look at her while she sips.</p>
<p>“Oh.” She shifts her head at me. “But are you proud of whisky, then?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t say that.”</p>
<p>“Then don’t you think that it’s a bit egocentric of you to try to teach me about something that you’re not even currently following?” She spits. “And by the way, I asked if you have coffee usually, not if that’s a good thing.”</p>
<p>“<em>Proper start</em>?”</p>
<p>“I think <em>proper</em> sounds more similar to <em>decent</em> than to <em>healthy.”</em></p>
<p>Michael comes to us with a scared expression on his face.</p>
<p>“Poppy.” He says. “Stop it.”</p>
<p>She lifts her head and rolls her eyes.</p>
<p>“What did I do now? Jesus…”</p>
<p>He looks at me and turns his eyes to her.</p>
<p>“Can’t you just be a little bit… nicer with my clients?” He says softly.</p>
<p>She stares at him for a while and nods her head.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” He spits. “Oh Alex, do you have a few minutes by the way?” He approaches me.</p>
<p>“Of course, mate. What’s it?” I ask.</p>
<p>“You see… I was thinking about having a little concert in a few days. You know, some music by the night, a few songs, nothing big.”</p>
<p>“That’s great” I say.</p>
<p>“I was wondering if you’d like to come and sing something. Paid, of course.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah. That sounds good to me but, are you referring to me, or to me and my boys?” I ask.</p>
<p>“I was thinking more of an acoustic sound, nothing too loud so I thought you could come and sing something by yourself.” He says.</p>
<p>“Alright, mate. What’s the date you’ve settled?”</p>
<p>“Actually, it’s going to be on Saturday but it’s fine if you can’t come, I know you guys must be really busy.”</p>
<p>“Okay, we’ll talk.”</p>
<p>“Alright. Thank you, mate.” He turns to Poppy. “You’re invited too, kiddo.”</p>
<p>Poppy lets her coffee on the bar counter and looks at Michael.</p>
<p>“I won’t come unless you change me the fucking cup. And don’t call me <em>kiddo,</em> you elder.” She spits.</p>
<p>Michael laughs and messes up her hair while passing by.</p>
<p>She fixes her hair and looks at me.</p>
<p>“So you’re a singer.”</p>
<p>I turn to her and let the money on the table.</p>
<p>“I’m many more things, darling.”</p>
<p>“I was going to say a jerk but go thank Michael. And that doesn’t count either.” She smirks.</p>
<p>I get up of the stool.</p>
<p>“I was going to say a good match for you, but I’m not sure now.” I smirk at her.</p>
<p>“Tsk.” She huffs and looks away. “As if you could.”</p>
<p>“See you, Poppy.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Cultural heritage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I turned my face to the entrance while I watched Alex leave the local.</p><p>“Michael.” I whispered.</p><p>Michael finishes giving the client’s coffee and comes to me.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“A concert?” I ask hesitant.</p><p>“Yeah, why not?” He puts both of his hands on the counter and stares at me.</p><p>“And this guy is going to sing?”</p><p>“He’s well known here, you know? He has a band and all.”</p><p>“Is that so? What’s it’s name?”</p><p>“Arctic Monkeys.” Michael says confidently.</p><p>“Hm.”</p><p>“He also has a secondary band I think.”</p><p>Michael stares expectantly.</p><p>“I’ve never heard of them.”</p><p>“What? Poppy, their band has been formed and debuted here, in Sheffield.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“You really don’t know them? I know you’ve only been here for a month but I thought you liked that… rock slash punk slash grunge music.”</p><p>“Oh, I do.”</p><p>“Are you serious? Hahaha! So then just give them a try.”</p><p>“I doubt that any guy like him could even make one single good song if you ask me...”</p><p>“Well, he’s not an ACDC member but still...”</p><p>“I even think he drinks a lot, so his voice might be dead by now anyway…”</p><p>“It should, right? I feel the same. Surprisingly, we’re all wrong.” He raises his eyebrows. “Just come here on Saturday. You may even like it.”</p><p>“That cup…” I put a pouty face.</p><p>“If you come… I might think about it.” Michael smirks.</p><p>“That’s a deal?”</p><p>Michael starts walking to some clients on a table.</p><p>“Can’t promise anything.”</p><p>“Oh come on.” I sigh.</p><p>My phone starts to ring. It’s Clarke.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>“POPPY, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”</p><p>I close my eyes at the volume.</p><p>“Hey! Stop screaming!”</p><p>“Poppy, it’s 8:55! Class starts at 9.”</p><p>“Oh fuck! Okay, okay. I’ll be there in 4.” I grab my things and run to the exit.</p><p>“Bye Michael! I’ll pay you tomorrow!” I cut the call and scream at my back.</p><p>Michel widen his eyes and shakes his head a bit.</p><p>I arrive at the class by 9:03. Luckily the teacher hasn’t arrived yet and I take the sit next to Clarke.</p><p>“Poppy where were you?” She questions me.</p><p>“Sorry… I was… having breakfast…” I say out of breath.</p><p>“Steem Yard again?” She asks.</p><p>“Yes…”</p><p>“Isn’t Michael a bit too old for you?” She laughs.</p><p>“What?” I recover my breath a bit. “I don’t go there because of Michael, you fool.” I spit. “Besides, he’s only 26. He’s not <em>that</em> old.”</p><p>“Hahaha! Poppy, it was a joke!”</p><p>“Tsk.”</p><p>The teacher enters the room and starts unpacking her laptop. Everyone starts to get quiet.</p><p>“Clarke.” I whisper to her.</p><p>“What?” She also whispers.</p><p>“Do you know a band called something like… <em>Frozen Monkeys </em>or… <em>Cold Monkeys</em>…?”</p><p>“What? Frozen Monkeys? Pft… hahaha.” She starts to laugh along with Dean, the guy sitting on the other side, that apparently has heard our conversation.</p><p>“What?” I turn at both sides.</p><p>“Do you mean… Arctic Monkeys?” She smirks. “Of course I know them. They’re from Sheffield. How would I not know them? They’re almost <em>cultural heritage</em>. Right, Dean?” She turns to him.</p><p>Dean nods with his head.</p><p>“Why are you asking?” She stares at me.</p><p>The teacher starts her class and everyone comes completely quiet.</p><p>“I’ve been invited to some kind of concert, I think.” I murmur even softer.</p><p>Clarke’s eyes open wider than ever.</p><p>“WHAT?” She almost shouts.</p><p>“Shhhh!”</p><p>“Are you kidding me? And he’s going to sing? Can I come?” She starts murmuring.</p><p>“Shhhh! And I still don’t know if I’m going to assist.” I say.</p><p>“What? Of course you’re going to go! The singer’s just hot.” She spits.</p><p>“PPPPFTTT…” I almost start to laugh.</p><p>Clarke stares at me with a wondering expression.</p><p>“I’m so sorry Clarke but he’s a jerk.” I spit.</p><p>“What? How do you know?”</p><p>“Let’s say that I got to meet him. Kind of.”</p><p>“WHAT?” She almost falls of the chair.</p><p>The teacher shuts up and stares at us.</p><p>“Ladies?”</p><p>We stare at her and shut up.</p><p>“Thank you.” She returns to her speech.</p><p>I give Clarke the look that just says: <em>I’ll tell you later</em>.</p><p>When the class ends, and as soon as I leave the class, Clarke comes almost running to me.</p><p>“Okay, tell me everything now or i’ll start screaming that you put salt on your ice creams.” She spits.</p><p>“Okay, okay. Calm, please.” I tell to her.</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“Listen, he just came to the Steem Yard a few times but it seems to have some kind of friendship with Michael. So he told him something about a concert that he’s organizing on Saturday and he said that he’ll talk to the other guys or something, I don’t know.” I explain to her while we walk downstairs. “Michael just said that I’m invited but I don’t even know if he’s going to play, it’s not like if I was going to attend for him, you know?”</p><p>“O… KAY.” She says. “So you’ve meet the fucking singer of the most famous rock band of whole Sheffield but you still don’t know him? Girl, let me show you.” She brings up her phone and start searching for some videos on YouTube.</p><p>She presses play and he appears in a leather jacket in front of a whole crowd. His nose is sharp and so it is his jawline.</p><p>“I got to admit that they sound great on live.” I say.</p><p>“You’re going to freak out if he sings on Saturday. Can I come, by the way?” She looks expectantly at me.</p><p>“I wasn’t going to go alone, of course you can come. Besides I need you to help me to dress up, otherwise I’ll look like a potato.”</p><p>“Done.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Megan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Days went by and I just went back to the Steem Yard to settle everything up for Saturday. Matt and Miles acceded to come with me and to be honest, I miss playing on some little places like this in Sheffield. Usually I just play in big places because they’re the only ones that can afford it but I made a good price for Michael so he’ll be able to have us, even if it’s just for a few songs.</p><p>I entered the local on Friday morning, 11 AM. And even though I won’t admit it, I was kind of hoping to see that little questioning chick. She really turns the local into something different. Sadly, I think her classes already started.</p><p>Michael’s wearing his usual attire. That black clothing with the white apron and the long wavy hair. I honestly can’t imagine him with anything else, I wonder what will he wear on Sunday.</p><p>As we end with our payment and all the electronic setting a young girl enters the local and heads to Michael.</p><p>She looks so dark. Her hair’s black and so are her clothes. She only lacks the black lipstick to look completely dead. Even though, she’s kinda pretty.</p><p>While Matt starts to take measures of the little scenario, Michael turns to the girl.</p><p>“Michael, right?” She says. “Sorry to interrupt, by the way.” She looks at me and turns to Michael.</p><p>“I’m Clarke, Poppy’s friend. I’m here to tell you that she’s not feeling well lately and she send me to tell you not to worry since she comes here every morning.” She looks kind of worried.</p><p>“Oh, is that so? I was a bit worried, honestly.”</p><p>“She’s got the flu, even though, she sent me to ask you if I’m able to come in her place on Saturday for the concert. Perhaps she might come if she’s feeling well by Saturday.”</p><p>“Of course. Even if she’s feeling well, you can also come too. I’ll put your name in the list. Clarke, right?”</p><p>“Yes. I’ll tell her so. Thank you so much, Michael.”</p><p>“Your welcome, Clarke. Hope to see you soon.”</p><p>Michael always sound so bright and friendly that it’s kind of upsetting.</p><p>“So as I was saying” I turn to Michael. “I’ll be singing a bright Last Shadow Puppets song and then I’ll turn the show on some Arctic Monkeys material. Is that okay, mate?”</p><p>“Of course, Alex! That’ll be great.” Michael answers completely happy. “You’ll be the thirds, by the way so I guess you’ll start by 12, more or less.”</p><p>“Perfect.”</p><p>“Oh and the three of you will be having any drink for free too.”</p><p>“All right, I’ve heard that!” Miles screams from the back.</p><p>By Saturday morning everything’s already settled. We’ll only need a guitar but still, microphones and wiring can cause trouble at the last moment. We also checked the lighting and the echo. We want no surprises. Poppy hasn’t come today neither, but I remembered the words that girl said and if they’re true, I bet she won’t be coming to the concert.</p><p>I come back to my place to rest a bit and prepare the instruments for the night. Michael said that it’ll be no big deal because there won’t be too much people and that’s nice to hear. It’ll be more intimate.</p><p>By the evening at 11, I had already showered and was pouring myself a glass of whisky but then my phone started to ring.</p><p>“Hello?” I answer.</p><p>“Alex, honey!” A tiny strident voice talks. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”</p><p>By her way of talking, I can already guess who she is.</p><p>“Oh Megan.” I say politely. “Hello, how are you doing?”</p><p>“Oh Alex, I’ve been feeling so bored lately. Do you remember when we used to hang out? I miss that a lot!”</p><p>I know what she’s trying to do. I’ve known her for too long and she always does the same to me: we hang out, we get drunk, we fuck and she never talks to me again until some months later. And the loop comes back again. Actually, she’s a really nice girl to spend some time with, we’re good together. I just don’t feel anything towards her and she’s not able to keep her feelings out of the way, that’s why she’s always running away when things are settling and it’s starting to create some kind of routine. The only thing that bothers me are her ups and downs, sometimes she wants me but sometimes she doesn’t. I’m just tired of it.</p><p>“Yes, Megan. We used to hang out a lot. Until you didn’t talk to me again, remember?” I answer.</p><p>“I know Alex but… could you forgive me? I mean it.” She sounds pouty.</p><p>“I don’t need to forgive anything, Megan.” She’s always so dramatic.</p><p>“Then let’s see each other on Sunday. Come on, prove your words big boy.” She says hesitant.</p><p>“I’m busy on Sunday.” I spit although is a total lie.</p><p>“You know you’re not. But anyways, Tuesday?”</p><p>“No Megan, I can’t.”</p><p>“Come on Alex, just a few drinks. It’s not a big deal.”</p><p>“Megan.” I spit.</p><p>“Alex, honey.”</p><p>My call gets stopped by another incoming call. It’s Matt.</p><p>“Alex?” She’s so tiresome.</p><p>“Okay, okay.” I say so she shuts up already. “We’ll talk. Bye.”</p><p>I hang up Megan’s call and pick Matt’s.</p><p>“Hello?” I ask.</p><p>“Dude, you need to come now.” He says in a hurry. “The local is full already.”</p><p>“What?” I look at the clock in the living room. “But it’s 11:10 still.” I say wondering.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. I know. Some people are paying immense quantities to the bodyguards so they’re getting in. This will be cool.” He says in half of a laugh.</p><p>“Okay, okay. Just let me finish my whisky and I’ll be there in a minute.” I hang up and end my whisky in a sip.</p><p>I pick my red Chevrolet Chevelle from 1970 and head to the Steem Yard. When I arrive, a huge queue was at the Steem Yard’s entrance. Some guys smoking on the side but they were mostly girls talking. I enter at the back, by the emergency exit so no one screams or something. I find Matt just when I enter.</p><p>“Alex, look at this.” He says with a big smile on his mouth. “It looks like the old days, doesn’t it?”</p><p>I take off my sunglasses and start looking around. “Yeah mate. I’m feeling kind of nostalgic.”</p><p>“Don’t cry now. We’ve got things to do today.” We start walking. “Also, what’ll we play tonight? You didn’t tell me.”</p><p>“We’ll play our last record, buddy.” I say firmly.</p><p>“What? Alex are you mad?” He stares. “We can’t do this. What if the song ends up being in the album for sure?”</p><p>“Relax Matt, just look at the people. They won’t even know. Plus, Michael’s not letting people photograph or record anything. It’ll be fine.”</p><p>“Alex...” He looks at me confused.</p><p>“Trust me.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Convictions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I recommend listening to the song while it’s played.<br/>Used to be my girl - The Last Shadow Puppets</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was Saturday, 10 PM. I was already feeling better. These few days I’ve been feeling like shit, I had the flu so I couldn’t go to the Steem Yard to ask Michael anything about the concert. Luckily I had already showered so I was going to call Clarke to tell her that maybe, at the end of the day, we could go to the concert. I call her.</p><p>“Poppy!” She answers.</p><p>“Hi Clarke! How are you feeling?”</p><p>“No girl, how are <em>you</em> feeling?”</p><p>“I’m felling like going to a concert tonight. What do you say?” I tell her.</p><p>“What? You’re feeling <em>that</em> well?” She asks.</p><p>“Yeah girl, let’s go. Did you talk to Michael? Is he letting you come?”</p><p>“Yes, I spoke to him and he said yes but still...” She stops.</p><p>“What? Don’t you want to go?”</p><p>“Yes, of course is just that...”</p><p>“What’s wrong Clarke?”</p><p>“I don’t think <em>you</em> should go.”</p><p>“What? Why? I’m already feeling better, I told you.” I spit.</p><p>“Yes but Poppy, yesterday you were feeling like shit. But like complete shit. Don’t you think it’s a bit early to move on?”</p><p>“What the fuck is that? Am I in a relationship now or what? Pft...haha.” I laugh.</p><p>“Seriously Poppy. I would love you to come but with the medication and all, I don’t think you should be drinking by the night, you know.” She’s getting worried about me.</p><p>“Well. Maybe you’re right. But-.” I stop.</p><p>“You’ll come anyways, right?” She knows me.</p><p>“Just tell me what should I wear already.”</p><p>“You’re impossible sometimes, Poppy!” She hangs up.</p><p>I laugh to myself. This girl knows I’m going to go so I start dressing up. A black slim dress, tights, my boots and a thin eyeliner and I’m ready to go.</p><p>I arrive to the Steem Yard by 12. There’s a huge queue at the entrance and I see Clarke at the side smoking a cigarette. I approach to her.</p><p>“Clarke!” I wave the hand at her.</p><p>“Poppy!” She throws away the cigarette and exhales the smoke. “I almost thought you were really listening to me for once.”</p><p>“You bastard! You didn’t help me dressing up! Now I look awful and it’s all your fault. Feel guilty.”</p><p>“That’s the best slim black dress I’ve ever seen.”</p><p>“Oh shut up, already.”</p><p>“Shall we enter?” She asks.</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>We get at the queue and talk about our assignments until we get at the end. Two tall big men are standing at the entrance.</p><p>“Name?”</p><p>“Poppy Johnson and Clarke White.” I stare at the one that asked me while he turns pages.</p><p>“Sorry, you’re not on the list.” He spits.</p><p>My face drops. I look at Clarke and turn to the man.</p><p>“Sorry, there must be a mistake. I’m one of Michael’s best friends and he told us that we’ll be on the list.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, girlie. Please, leave the queue, that’s a private concert.”</p><p>My face starts to get red in indignation.</p><p>“Poppy, let’s go. We can just call Michael...” Clarke says.</p><p>“Listen big boy. I don’t want to cause trouble here, and I bet you don’t want to get fired. So why don’t you just... move?” I stare at him.</p><p>The man looks at the other body guard and he starts to approach to us.</p><p>“Is there any problem, ladies?” He says in half of a laugh.</p><p>I stare at both of them.</p><p>“Oh, is that funny to you?” I start to get mad.</p><p>“Poppy...” Clarke murmurs.</p><p>“Listen you guys. I’m going to repeat it because I bet you want to keep your dignity. If I were you, I would move. Only if you appreciate that much the money you’re making tonight... Now, get the fuck out of my way, you dickheads.”</p><p>The guys start to approach to me, trying to get me out of the queue.</p><p>“You think you’re really tough, right?” One of them touches my face in a second and gets to my lips.</p><p>“DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOU TEETH!” I start screaming to one of his faces as I move the hand out of my face.</p><p>People start to talk behind us.</p><p>“MOVE THE FUCKING OUT OF THE QUEUE. Unless you have some extra money.” His smirk goes away and he starts screaming.</p><p>Suddenly, I see Michael passing by with a few drinks on his hands and hears the noise outside.</p><p>“MICHAEL!” Clarke screams.</p><p>“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Michael leaves the drinks on the closest table and starts coming to us. “Is there any problem?” He asks to the bodyguards.</p><p>The bodyguards move a bit and look at Michael.</p><p>“Excuse me, sir. There are some people that are trying to come inside without being on the list.” They spit.</p><p>“Michael.” I say. “This assholes are saying that we’re not on the list.”</p><p>“Poppy.” He looks at me in surprise. “I didn’t thought you were going to come!” He approaches me and hugs me tight.</p><p>“Let me see the list, you guys.” He grabs the papers from the men and starts turning pages. “There must be a mistake. You’re not on the list, I might’ve forgotten it... Anyways, come in.”</p><p>I stare at the men in black and grab Michael’s arm in revenge. I stop just near to them.</p><p>“You better be grateful with Michael because if I was him you’ll be already in 7 years of prison from undeclared money, you jerks.”</p><p>I walk inside the local. It is completely full and Michael grabs both of my arms.</p><p>“Listen kiddo. Your table is at the left, just in front of the stage. I got to go now, there’s a lot of work at the moment... but listen.” He stares at deeply at me. “You need to stop this, Poppy.” His expression turns sad.</p><p>“Stop what?” I ask to him.</p><p>“You did mountains out of a molehill.” He spits. “You could’ve just called me.”</p><p>“Michael, he started touching my face!” I say.</p><p>“This is not about the things that happen to you, Poppy. It’s about how you handle them.” People start to scream his name on the back in order to assist the clients.</p><p>“Michael!” I say.</p><p>He just stares with a disappointed expression. Clarke starts walking to the table trying not to hear our conversation.</p><p>“I thought I would never have to say this but Poppy... Please, change your manners or I’ll have to ban you the entrance to the local. You leave me no choice.” He goes away in a hurry.</p><p>My stomach drops at the words he said. What the hell? <em>Ban me the entrance to the local</em>? I can’t believe it.</p><p>“Poppy.” Someone at the back grabs my arm. I turn around and lift a bit my head. Alex’s standing still with sunglasses on and an acoustic guitar on the other hand.</p><p>“Oh hi.” I say.</p><p>“So you’ve come.” He says in half of a smirk. “I thought you had the flu. And that you think that I’m not capable of making one single good song, too.”</p><p>“Well. Since you ask, yes, I had the flu. And I’m going to kill Michael. If he doesn’t kill me first...”</p><p>“Why would he do that? Did you get in trouble again?” He asks.</p><p>“I don’t <em>get in trouble</em>, okay? I just fight over my convictions.”</p><p>“Sorry, sweetheart. But in my opinion, that’s what I call <em>doing the fuck you want</em>.” He laughs a bit.</p><p>“Tsk.” I start walking to the table where Clarke is with my head turned to him. “You still don’t know what <em>I did</em>, so save your criticism for now.” I sit at the table where Clarke is while he stands with a hand on the table.</p><p>“I’m about to play so you’ll have to tell me later. Oh, and listen carefully. You may even enjoy it.” He says with a smirk and he moves the hand from the table. He stands up and does a sign to some guy at the back of the local, tilting his head a bit to the stage.</p><p>Alex and the other guy climb the little stairs at the bottom. There’s some drums at the back and an electric guitar standing. They start plugging in all the instruments and playing some cords while the people on the local start making noise.</p><p>“Are you guys friends or what?” Clarke asks me in surprise.</p><p>“No, of course not. I’ve just talked to him a few times, I told you.” I spit.</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t fucking believe you. It just seemed like he was flirting with you.”</p><p>“God no. HAHAHA.” I start laughing. “He’s just a jerk, I swear. And if he’s flirting with me, he has to be flirting with everyone too.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” She asks hesitant.</p><p>“He’s a rockstar, Clarke. He wouldn’t flirt with me because I’m no one. And if he would, he would be flirting with prettier girls, not with me. That’s just dumb.” I say.</p><p>“Well. Maybe you’re right.”</p><p>Music starts to play.</p><p>“Well, good night everyone.” Alex starts to speak. “This is <em>Used to be my girl</em>. I’m Alex and this is Miles. Matt on the back.”</p><p>The crowd starts making noise. Miles starts to sing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Color pictures of re-entry<br/>
Voices calling down the hall<br/>
I wanted you to know<br/>
You're the only one that bent me<br/>
This far out of shape<br/>
Don't make no mistake<br/>
I'm a liar, I'm a cheat<br/>
A leech, a thief<br/>
The outside looks no good and there ain't nothing underneath<br/>
Darling can't you see<br/>
My heart melted in the heat<br/>
My heart melted in the heat like yours</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Alex starts singing the melody.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>First impressions of the century<br/>
Two way mirror one way street<br/>
Good cop bad cop routine<br/>
Black-light animal print boogie<br/>
Left in a heap<br/>
A kiss on either cheek<br/>
I'm a phoney, I'm a fake<br/>
A fraud, a snake<br/>
Gimme all your love so I can fill you up with hate<br/>
Girl I'm in a state<br/>
My heart melted yesterday<br/>
My heart melted yesterday like yours</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>They both start to sing now.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The odyssey<br/>
Came down kind of hard on me<br/>
The here and now so suddenly<br/>
Became a different world<br/>
Finally I slipped out of reality<br/>
It must all be imaginary<br/>
She used to be my girl</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Used to be my girl<br/>
Used to be my girl<br/>
Used to be my girl<br/>
Used to be my girl</em>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Banned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I recommend listening to the song while it’s played.<br/>Piledriver Waltz - Arctic Monkeys</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the end of the song everyone’s clapping and laughing. Even Poppy seems impressed.</p><p>“Thank you.” I say.</p><p>This time I sit on a chair that gets handled to me. I start playing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I etched the face of a stopwatch on the back of a raindrop<br/>
And did a swap for the sand in an hourglass<br/>
I heard an unhappy ending, it sort of sounds like you leaving<br/>
I heard the piledriver waltz, it woke me up this morning</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I saw Poppy murmuring something to her friend and getting up of her seat, heading to the bar counter. Maybe she’s feeling thirsty.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>You look like you've been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel<br/>
And sat in the back booth by the pamphlets and the literature on how to lose<br/>
Your waitress was miserable and so was your food<br/>
If you're gonna try and walk on water<br/>
Make sure you wear your comfortable shoes</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>When she turns back to her seat, she gets her drink spilled all over her because of a guy that wasn’t looking where he was going. Poppy starts to say something to him but I can’t hear it because of the music.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Mysteries flashing amber go green when you answer<br/>
But the red on the rest of the questionnaire never changes<br/>
I heard the news that you're planning to shoot me out of a cannon<br/>
I heard the piledriver waltz, it woke me up this morning</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>I see how Michael heads to her and they talk heatedly. Poppy, Michael and the guy end up getting out of the local.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>You look like you've been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel<br/>
And sat in the back booth by the pamphlets and the literature on how to lose<br/>
Your waitress was miserable and so was your food<br/>
If you're gonna try and walk on water<br/>
Make sure you wear your comfortable shoes</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>A few minutes later, Michael enters back but Poppy doesn’t. I guess she hasn’t heard any part of the song.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh-oh, oh-oh<br/>
Piledriver</em>
</p><p> </p><p>When the song ends, I pick the guitar and down the stairs.</p><p>I head to the entrance and get out of the local for the main door, where the bodyguards are.</p><p>People start to scream a bit and try to get closer to me. Poppy’s still saying something to the guy that was fighting with her before at the ending of the queue. It looks like she’s about to give him a duff. I look to a girl that was approaching to me.</p><p>“Could you take care of her for a while, darling?” I ask her while handling her the guitar.</p><p>“O-of course, Alex!” She says, they start to scream.</p><p>I approach where Poppy was.</p><p>“... YOU SON OF A BITCH! WILL YOU PAY FOR IT OR WHAT?” She screams to him.</p><p>“POPPY!” I get in front of her but she tries to get away from me. “STOP.” I put both of my arms around her.</p><p>“FUCK ALEX, LET ME GO!” She screams to me.</p><p>“Stop!” She starts moving harder trying to get rid of me so I push her away of the guy almost getting her up a bit from the ground.</p><p>“ALEX!” When we’re far enough, I release her. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”</p><p>“What the fuck is wrong with <em>YOU?”</em> I ask her. “Is this what you call <em>fighting over your convictions</em>?”</p><p>“What? Alex he just spilled my drink all over me! What was I supposed to do? Say thank you to him?”</p><p>“Fuck Poppy, these things happen all the time! You should be a little more tolerant! Shit happens.”</p><p>“What? He didn’t even say sorry!” She’s now fighting with me.</p><p>“Still!” I stare at her. “You should be thanking me for saving you, not screaming to me.”</p><p>“Saving me? I’m a black belt on karate, you fool. Who do you think you are saving?”</p><p>“What? Are you serious?” I smirk.</p><p>“Yes.” She looks away. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. Tsk.” She sits on the sidewalk.</p><p>“Listen Poppy...”</p><p>“No. I don’t want to listen anymore. Stop scolding me. I’m not a child, okay?” She looks at the ground. I can’t tell if she’s about to yell at me or to cry.</p><p>“Then why are you behaving like one?”</p><p>“I’m not <em>behaving</em>. I’m just...” She gets quiet suddenly.</p><p>“Forget it. Let’s go back in. I’ll buy you another drink.”</p><p>She’s not even looking at me.</p><p>“Poppy?”</p><p>“I can’t.”</p><p>“What? Why?”</p><p>She gets quiet again. I think I’ve never seen her that quiet.</p><p>“Poppy?” I get down on a squatting position.</p><p>She lifts her head a bit but looks away.</p><p>“Michael banned me the entrance.” She spits. “He said that I cause too many trouble and that we’re still friends outside the local, but the local’s the only place I get to see him.” She sounds like she’s about to cry.</p><p>I get quiet.</p><p>“Whatever.” She spits. “I’ll go home. It’s been the worst night ever anyways.” She stands up.</p><p>I grab her arm while she’s about to move.</p><p>“Let’s go for a ride.”</p><p>What the fuck am I doing? Did I really tell her to go for a ride because I feel sorry?</p><p>“What?” She stares at me confused.</p><p>“Wait here. I’ll go grab my guitar.” I walk away and let her wondering.</p><p>I get back to the girl that was holding the guitar for me.</p><p>“Thank you, sweetheart. You’re lovely.”</p><p>I grab my guitar and go almost running to where Poppy was, thinking she might’ve just got scared. Surprisingly, she was still standing there. Crossed arms and looking at the stars. I got to admit that she looked beautiful tonight.</p><p>“Let’s go.” I grab her arm with my free one unconsciously.</p><p>“I can walk alone, you know?” She spits.</p><p>“Oh, sorry.” I let her go.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Your name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We walked a bit through the road until I realized that I hadn’t said anything to Clarke since I came out of the local because I left my phone in my jacket inside. Alex was walking in front of me and I stopped thinking about what was happening at the moment. Michael had just kicked me out of the local and Alex was taking me out for a ride. In which moment had all this happened? Michael was one of my best friends and now he doesn’t want to see me again at the Steem Yard. Alex, who was a jerk when I met him, was feeling guilty for me.</p><p>“Let me just put the guitar on the back.” He says when we arrived.</p><p>“Okay.” I spit.</p><p>I get out of my thoughts and look down at the sidewalk. Of course he’s going to have an special edition Chevrolet from probably the 80’s. He’s a rockstar at the end of the day.</p><p>“Do you like my baby?” He says in half of a smirk. “Don’t be shy, just get in.”</p><p>It looked like as if he just read my mind. I did as he said and got inside of the car. Once inside I tried to look for the belt but it was too dark inside and too far for me to pick it.</p><p>“Whe- where’s the...” I mumble.</p><p>“Oh, sorry. It’s kinda far.” He approaches me from his seat a bit. “Let me help you.”</p><p>He bends over and picks the belt for me but when I was about to grab it, he just plugged it in. He was closer to me than to what I would found appropriate, but he just said nothing. He smelled like men’s cologne and a bit of sweat, probably because of the lights and the temperature.</p><p>“Where are we going?” I ask while he starts the engine.</p><p>“You lasted to ask more than what I thought you would, hm.” He says looking at the mirrors. He turns to me. “Just enjoy the ride.” A smile gets drawn on his face.</p><p>“You’re not going to rape me or rob me, right?” I ask jokingly. “Because, to be honest, I don’t really know you <em>that</em>much.”</p><p>“Just a bit.” He turns to me laughing.</p><p>He turns the radio on and he puts an Strokes CD.</p><p>“Do you like the Strokes?” I can’t help but ask.</p><p>“Of course I like them. In fact, I get inspired from them a lot.”</p><p>“You don’t need to remind me that you’re a rockstar all the time, you know?”</p><p>“You just get reminded because now you know that I do music. But when I first met you, you were complaining for a lot of other things, sweetheart. And they had nothing to do with being a rockstar.” He smiles and turns to look at me for a second.</p><p>“What did I complain about?” I laugh.</p><p>“About my... Big mouth and my... criticism... Maybe?” He smirks.</p><p>“I did not...” I stop a second. “How do you remember that?” I ask in surprise.</p><p>“HAHAHA” He laughs. “I just thought that...” He stops and looks at me a second. “I just thought that no one’s ever described me better than you, Poppy.” He spits. “So I just remembered.”</p><p>I get quiet for a bit.</p><p>“You know... I didn’t say it was bad...” I try not to give it importance.</p><p>“I didn’t say it, either.” He spits.</p><p>We got out of the city talking about our lives and how we handle them. It was mostly my curiosity asking and his mouth answering. By 2 AM in the morning we arrive to a lake on the countryside. I thought he was going to take me to some nightclub so this is better than I thought. We get out of the car and he goes to the back of the car and grabs some beer cans. He passes through a few trees and sits down near to start of the lake.</p><p>“I thought you might like a nighttime picnic by the moon.” He turns his head to me.</p><p>I sit next to him by the grass.</p><p>“It’s really...”</p><p>He stares at me for a while.</p><p>“Oh come on, just say that you adore it already.” He turns to the lake. “A beer?”</p><p>“I was going to say that it’s really creepy, but well...” I joke. “And yes, give me one.”</p><p>He handles me a beer and smirks.</p><p>“I saw you getting kicked out of the local, you know? So I guess it might have been the worst for you, since Michael is one of your best mates.” He opens his can and takes a sip.</p><p>I don’t answer, I just open my can.</p><p>“So I’m right.” He spits.</p><p>“I didn’t say anything.” I spit.</p><p>“You never say anything when you don’t want to admit that something hurt you.” He stares at the lake.</p><p>“Where did you get that conclusion from, Mr.Guesser?” I stare at the lake too and take another huge sip. “Maybe I just don’t answer because I don’t care at all.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry Miss Rock-Heart. But I thought I saw a tear almost fall from your eyes at the Steem Yard’s sidewalk before.” He jokes.</p><p>“Miss Rock-Heart thinks that you are completely wrong.” I look at him and take another sip.</p><p>He tilts his head a bit and looks at me. I look at the lake again.</p><p>“Jokes aside... You’ll never see me cry, Alexander. So never bet for that.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?” He asks hesitant. “How’s that so?”</p><p>“No reason. I’m not one of those crying eyes you might see in some of your concerts or something.”</p><p>“Good to know, then.” He stares a bit and looks away again.</p><p>After a few minutes looking at the stars and drinking beer he breaks the silence.</p><p>“Did you listen to the song, Poppy?”</p><p>“Mh. I’m not sure. Which one?”</p><p>“The second one.”</p><p>“Why the second one and not the first one?” I ask.</p><p>“It was my favorite.”</p><p>“Sorry then, I couldn’t.” I end up my beer.</p><p>“That’s a pity.”</p><p>“Just send me the link or something and I’ll listen to it.”</p><p>“Hahaha. A link?” He smirks. “I can’t do that.”</p><p>“What? Why?”</p><p>“It was a new one, sweetheart.” He lowers his head.</p><p>“A new one?” I ask hesitant. “Singing an unreleased song in a pub is not really professional of you.”</p><p>“Yeah. I usually don’t do it. It was just that- uh...” He stops.</p><p>“What?” I smirk.</p><p>“Never mind. Another beer?” He stretches his body to grab another beer that he left behind him.</p><p>“No, thanks.”</p><p>“Too late, grab it.” He throws me the beer and I grab it. He smirks. I make a face to him.</p><p>“Listen, Poppy.” He looks at me. “That song screamed your name.”</p><p>“What?” I laugh.</p><p>He just stares at me. My smile fades.</p><p>“Are you serious?”</p><p>“See, <em>you looked like you’ve been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel, and sit by the back of the booth by the pamphlets and the literature on how to lose.</em>” He recites while opening his can.</p><p>He takes a sip and left the can on the grass. He bends towards me and puts a hand on the grass to hold his body. I stare at him wondering what he’s trying to say. He stares at me again.</p><p>“<em>If you’re going to try to walk on water make sure you wear your comfortable shoes.</em>”</p><p>He gets quiet and starts to look at my face. He goes back to find my eyes.</p><p>“And still.” He says. “You didn’t listen to it.”</p><p>His eyes look sad now. I look away and he goes back to his place. He grabs his beer and takes a few huge sips.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Miserable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I recommend listening to the song while it’s played.<br/>Is this it - The Strokes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Poppy got really quiet when I told her that the song was about her. She didn’t seem sad or weird though, she just seemed confused. At this point I couldn’t help but worry about what she was thinking, it’s not like if I liked her or something, she just appeared from nowhere and I thought that perhaps unexpected things are the best when being inspired.</p>
<p>“You just were the muse for a little while, Poppy.” I look at her. “That doesn’t have to mean anything.”</p>
<p>“I just don’t understand it.” She looks at me. “But it sounded like if I didn’t want to accept my own problems.” She turns her head again and looks down. “But maybe you’re right.”</p>
<p>“No Poppy. It talked about not knowing how to face your problems and not even knowing them.” I say.</p>
<p>“Is my angriness the problem, for real?”</p>
<p>“Your angriness it’s just troublesome if you don’t know how to handle it.”</p>
<p>She just doesn’t talk.</p>
<p>“Listen Poppy.” I bend my body to her. “Does it really bothers you?”</p>
<p>She stares at me for a while.</p>
<p>“I think so.”</p>
<p>“Then let’s take control of it.”</p>
<p>“It’s not that easy, you know?” She says.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know. Let me help you.”</p>
<p>“Why would you want to help me out, anyways?”</p>
<p>“I guess you look really miserable.” I smirk jokingly.</p>
<p>“That’s why you took me out, right?” She spits, but she’s not laughing. I can’t tell if she really cares or not.</p>
<p>“What?” My smile fades.</p>
<p>“Come on, Alex. Don’t lie to me.” She looks away.</p>
<p>“Why would you want to take me out? Like, <em>ever</em>.”</p>
<p>“Maybe because I thought you liked beers? And night skies? And lakes?” I smirk.</p>
<p>“Hahaha.” She laughs. “I do, in fact.” She looks at me again. “But honestly, I thought you were more into perfect faces and perfect bodies.”</p>
<p>“That doesn’t exist, sunshine.”</p>
<p>“Oh, it does for rockstars not for girls like me though.”</p>
<p>“Oh please don’t say it.”</p>
<p>“Yes. I will say it.” She looks at me firmly. “I’m not even- “</p>
<p>I put my hand over her mouth so she won’t spit it but when I realized she was holding my hand with a fucking excruciating karate hold. When she realizes she lets me go.</p>
<p>“Oh fuck! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” She puts her hand covering her mouth kind of frightened.</p>
<p>“Fuck!” I say.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry! Are you okay? I didn’t mean to...” She gets close to me.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, it’s okay Poppy.” I hold my hand with the other. “But fuck it! Where did you learn that?”</p>
<p>She just laughs.</p>
<p>“Will I ever be able to touch you again?” I joke.</p>
<p>She gets red suddenly.</p>
<p>“I- I’m sorry I-“ I realize what I said. “I didn’t mean it that way!” I laugh.</p>
<p>“We- well!” She turns her head and gets up from the grass. “Can we come back now?”</p>
<p>“Y-yes.” I get up and we head to the car.</p>
<p>I put her the seatbelt again but I stare at her now even though she’s not looking at me this time. She looked so beautiful, really. Her skin was shining and that black dress just fitted her perfectly. I don’t know why she was saying that before, like if she wasn’t pretty or something.</p>
<p>“About before, Poppy...” I look at her when I start the engine. “Listen, head the Steem Yard tomorrow. Don’t listen to Michael, enter the local anyways and apologize to him. He’ll listen to you, he adores you.”</p>
<p>Poppy gets quiet again.</p>
<p>“Maybe talking to someone can help, too.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” She says. “I’ll try.”</p>
<p>I smile to her. I turn on the CD reader, Strokes keep playing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Can't you see I'm trying?<br/>I don't even like it<br/>I just lied to<br/>Get to your apartment<br/>Now I'm staying<br/>There just for a while<br/>I can't think 'cause<br/>I'm just way too tired</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Is this it?<br/>Is this it?<br/>Is this it?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Said they'd give you anything you ever wanted<br/>When they lied, I knew it was just stable children<br/>Trying hard not to realize<br/>I was sitting right behind them</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh dear, can't you see? It's them it's not me<br/>We're not enemies<br/>We just disagree<br/>If I was like him, all pissed in this bar<br/>He changes his mind, says I went too far<br/>We all disagree<br/>I think we should disagree, yeah</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Is this it?<br/>Is this it?<br/>Is this it?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Can't you see I'm trying?<br/>I don't even like it<br/>I just lied to<br/>Get to your apartment<br/>Now I'm staying<br/>There just for a while<br/>I can't think 'cause<br/>I'm just way too tired</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Do you want me to take you home, Poppy? Or do you prefer if I leave you at the Steem Yard?”</p>
<p>“Take me home, please.” She says.</p>
<p>That words sounded wonderfully to my ears as if I wanted to hear her say it 100 more times. My heart skipped a beat when she looked at me later like if she could listen to what I was thinking. I felt ashamed for a second and her staring clear blue eyes made me look to the road again. To be honest her stare made me feel dizzier than all the beers that I drank tonight.</p>
<p>When we arrived to her place, Clarke was outside waiting for her. She lived in a modern flat full of windows or at least that was what I could get to see from outiside of the building. Poppy told me on our ride home that she lived alone because their parents wanted the best for her, but yet she never talked to me about them. I saw how they both entered the apartment block and I wonder what will they talk about the rest of the night.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. As a black eye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What the actual fuck? Are you serious, Poppy?” Were the first words I heard when I entered my flat.</p><p>“Come on, Clarke.” I say.</p><p>“You were out there with the fucking singer of the Arctic Monkeys and you expect me not to freak out? I mean, I know I keep it quite cool when he’s near but God...” She starts to beat me with her thoughts. “Where were you? Did you two fuck?”</p><p>“Clarke!” I scream while I let all my things on the dinning room. “It wasn’t like that!”</p><p>“Oh yeah? How was it then? Just tell me already!” She sits at the sofa near me.</p><p>“How was <em>what</em>?” I smirk.</p><p>“You’re laughing! Come on! What happened?” She looks at me excited.</p><p>“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you.”</p><p>I start relating all the things we talked about and Clarke stared like if someone just died in front of her all the time.</p><p>“He asked me about the last song too, when I got kicked.” I keep telling.</p><p>“Wait, what?” She stops a second. “He asked your opinion on the last song?”</p><p>“Well, yes but- “ I keep saying.</p><p>“So he cared, huh.” She stared with dirty eyes.</p><p>“What?” I asked confused. “Well, yeah. He said that screamed my name but-“</p><p>“WHAT?” Clarke gets up suddenly. “HE SAID WHAT?”</p><p>“W-what?” I stare confused. “He said that I was the muse but that it wasn’t nothing personal or anything...”</p><p>“WHAT THE FUCK!” I think she couldn’t scream louder. “THAT YOU WERE THE MUSE?”</p><p>“Clarke!” I spit. “What the fuck is wrong with you? There are neighbours!” I look at her with a deadly stare.</p><p>“Listen Poppy.” She sits at the sofa again and stares at me. “So he took you for a ride, he said that a song was about you and you didn’t try to fuck him right there? Because I WOULD.”</p><p>“CLARKE IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.” I spit.</p><p>“Oh yeah? What is it then? Come on, tell me.”</p><p>I got up of the sofa and went to my room to put my pajamas on.</p><p>“Look. Singers and writers do this all the time. Whenever they find something new they write about it. But if it’s not cool, they fantisize about it and make it sound cool.” Clarke followed me and I sat at the bed while undressing. “At this point he would’ve tried to kiss me or something, because he doesn’t look like he likes to wait. But he didn’t. So I guess it also has to mean something, right?”</p><p>Clarke stares at me not believing a single word of what I said.</p><p>“Besides, in my opinion I think he just felt guilty because he knows how close I am to Michael. In fact, we talked about it most of the night.” I finish putting on my pajamas.</p><p>“So he also worries about you?” She crosses her arms. “I think that it’s pretty clear that he feels something for you, Pops.”</p><p>“I think you’re raving, Clarke.” I walk out of the bedroom heading to the kitchen.</p><p>“Don’t run away now.”</p><p>“Do you want a glass of wine?” I ask changing the subject.</p><p>“What? No.”</p><p>“Okay.” I pour myself a glass.</p><p>She stares at me for a while.</p><p>“Well, maybe.” She grabs my glass.</p><p>We’d drunk the whole bottle by 4 AM.</p><p>Next morning I woke up at 11 but Clarke was still sleeping so I dressed up and got out of the flat. At the Steem Yard’s entrance I was questioning my will to come in for a second when I see Alex arriving and getting out of the car while he puts his sunglasses on. My mind starts to remind me all of the things we talked about yesterday and I start feeling ashamed that I’m taking an advice from that drunk guy that is coming over and rethink if all this is really a good idea or if I’m simply not accepting my defeat. He styles his hair while coming and plants a smirk on his face while approaching to me.</p><p>“Morning.” He spits.</p><p>“Hello.”</p><p>“Were you waiting for me, sweetheart?” His smirk gets bigger.</p><p>I just turn my head in displeasure and enter the local without saying a word. When the door’s tinker-bell sounds Michael was turned around showing his back to the bar counter.</p><p>When Alex and I approach to the counter Michael turns around.</p><p>“Good morning.” He says to Alex. He looks and me and makes a disappointed expression. “Poppy-“</p><p>“I’m sorry, Michael.” I stop him. “I’m really sorry.”</p><p>He starts wiping some glasses and turns to Alex avoiding having to talk to me.</p><p>“What will the gentleman have?”</p><p>“Same as the little lady.” He looks at me and gives me a reassuring look.</p><p>Michael starts to look stressed. He looks at me and leans on the counter with both of his hands.</p><p>“Listen Poppy.” He sighs. “You can’t be here.” His eyes look sad.</p><p>“It won’t happen again. I promise.”</p><p>“This is my life, Poppy.” He sighs again. “What would you think if I didn’t let you study your  degree? You would send me straight to hell without hesitation!”</p><p>I just stare at him.</p><p>“This is all I have, Poppy. I live for this. And you’ve been fooling around without caring at all.” He lowers his head. “I love you, Poppy. But this isn’t how things work. Don’t think that this is easy for me.”</p><p>“I know, Michael.” I bend a bit over the table and look firmly at his eyes. “But I’m going to change. I promise.” He looks at me now. “Even Alex is going to help me.”</p><p>He looks confused.</p><p>“Alex?” He turns his head to him.</p><p>Alex raises his eyebrows bewildered.</p><p>“Y-yes.” He spits.</p><p>Michael turns to me again confused. He shakes a bit his head and looks down.</p><p>“Whatever, Poppy. I just-“ He looks at me.</p><p>“Michael...” I stare at him thinking that he’ll never forgive me.</p><p>Alex puts a hand on my left leg like asking for me to shut up without Michael noticing and my heart suddenly skips a beat.</p><p>“Alright, buddy.” Alex starts some speech and we both look at him. My stare goes down at my leg, reminding the words Clarke said to me last night as if they could be true in the end.</p><p>“Here, listen.” He removes his hand now. “Just give her a try.”</p><p>“Come on, you guys...” Michael stares at him completely and sighs.</p><p>“She wasn’t aware at the beginning of how important this was for you, now she knows.” He looks sideways at me. “Just give her a last chance, mate. She has sworn it.”</p><p>Michael doesn’t say anything this time, just listens to Alex.</p><p>“We both know she’s not as tough as she pretends to be.” He talks as if I wasn’t there now. I just lower my head.</p><p>Michaels stops a few seconds and crosses his arms. He turns his stare to me and I raise my head a bit.</p><p>“How are you feeling today?” He asks me. It might seem like an easy question but it’s the hardest one that I ever had to answer.</p><p>I bend half of my body over the counter to stand only a few centimeters far from his face. I smile shamefully while I stare at him. “As a <em>black eye</em>.” I say almost whispering.</p><p>Michael finally smiles at me and approaches his cheek to me. I plant a kiss on him. He smirks to me and turns to the coffee machine. He has forgiven me. I sit back on my stool and look at Alex but he’s not looking at me. He notices my stare and looks at me for a second.</p><p>“Wow.” He looks back at the counter. “I thought it would be harder.” He spits. “Did I miss something between you two?”</p><p>I frown my eyebrows in confusion.</p><p>“What do you mean?” I guess Clarke might be right.</p><p>“The... coffee thing?” He asks. “What the hell is a <em>black eye</em> anyways?”</p><p>Oh, the coffee.</p><p>“Poppy?” He asks.</p><p>“Oh, sorry.” I feel dumb for thinking that he might... whatever. “Double espresso and brewed coffee.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Pearl’s Harbour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Suddenly my phone starts to ring loudly on top of the counter. I hang up. I don’t feel like talking right now. It rings again, but I’m not sure that it was the same number. I pick it up for good.</p>
<p>“Hello?” I ask.</p>
<p>“Honey!” That strident voice again.</p>
<p>“God...” I murmur to myself.</p>
<p>I change the phone to the other hand.</p>
<p>“Oh, Megan.” I say while I grab my coffee.</p>
<p>“What about Pearl’s Harbour?” She asks.</p>
<p>“Excuse me. What-”</p>
<p>“Our date on Tuesday.” She says confidently. “I remember you adored it there.”</p>
<p>Fuck, I’d forgotten it. I leave the coffee on the counter, who on earth drinks that shit?</p>
<p>“Can we... postpone it?” I ask while I touch my forehead with my hand.</p>
<p>“WHAT?” I move the phone away at the loudness. I see Poppy glancing at me. “ALEX YOU PROMISED ME!” She starts screaming.</p>
<p>“Megan.” I try to calm her.</p>
<p>“No, of course you can’t postpone it! That’s so rude of you. I waited until you told me!” She’s so stubborn.</p>
<p>“For God’s sake, Megan.” I sigh.</p>
<p>“Oh come on, we don’t even have to fuck!” She keeps screaming and Poppy glances at me again. “What’s wrong, Alex? We used to be so, so, so close...”</p>
<p>I look at the ceiling.</p>
<p>“Come on.” She keeps talking.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright.” I want to end the conversation already.</p>
<p>“Fine!”</p>
<p>She gets over it so fast, I can tell that she was faking all her indignation.</p>
<p>“Tuesday at 7. Pearl’s Harbour.” I finish.</p>
<p>“Will you pick me up?” She says.</p>
<p>I hang up. I let the phone on the counter while I look for the money to pay the coffee. I notice that I left the wallet on the car.</p>
<p>Poppy takes a huge sip and finishes her coffee. She gets up quickly and leaves money for both. She turns at me.</p>
<p>“You owe me one.” She looks at me firmly a few seconds and winks at me.</p>
<p>I grab her arm for a second before she leaves. She turns at me surprised.</p>
<p>“Aren’t you the one who owes me something, sweetheart? I saved your ass before.” I murmur to her while shaking my head a bit to Michael’s direction.</p>
<p>She stares at Michael for a second, who has it’s back turned, and looks at me. I release her hand taking some distance.</p>
<p>She sighs. “We’ll talk about it.” She glances at me for the last time and heads to the exit.</p>
<p>I watch her leave the local and I get up of the stool. When I raise my head Michael’s staring at me while cleaning up some glasses without saying a thing.</p>
<p>“Such a troublemaker, aye’?” I say awkwardly.</p>
<p>“You’re into her, right?” He says confidently.</p>
<p>I would’ve spit my coffee if I’d had it on my mouth by now.</p>
<p>“What?” I lower my head in displeasure.</p>
<p>“I saw how you looked at her while leaving, mate. It’s easy to tell.”</p>
<p>“Of course not.” I smirk trying to keep it cool. “She’s all yours if that’s what you’re trying to say.” I raise my eyebrows while I put my sunglasses on.</p>
<p>“She’s not a property, man.” He lowers his head and raises his eyebrows too. “Maybe that’s why she’s not interested in guys like you.”</p>
<p>“<em>Guys like me?</em> What does that even mean?” I frown my eyebrows.</p>
<p>“You know. That ‘I might hurt you if you get too close’ type of guy.” He spits.</p>
<p>“You see...” I lower my head. “I’m not the one who’s been hurting her all along.” I start to walk to the exit. “I bet she’s more interested on guys who won’t fuck her until marriage, right?”</p>
<p>I get out of the local. Fucking asshole. Poppy won’t even look at Michael that way, like ever.</p>
<p>It’s not that I know her <em>that</em> well, but Michael’s just...  He’s too boring for her. Whatever. I open the car’s door and suddenly my phone rings again.</p>
<p>“Yes?” I pick it up.</p>
<p>“It’s Matt. There’s some good news, dude.” He sounds enthusiastic. I get inside of the car.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah?” I ask hesitant. “What’s up?”</p>
<p>“Come to my apartment, I’ll tell you here.”</p>
<p>“Alright. Coming.” I was heading his place anyways... I hang up.</p>
<p>I arrive at Matt’s apartment by 13:15 more or less. He’s waiting for me outside fiddling with a cigarette lighter.</p>
<p>“What’s up, mate?” He welcomes me with a hug.</p>
<p>“Tell me what’s going on already.” I ask hesitant.</p>
<p>“Listen dude.” His eyes widen. “I got a call, today. It was for you, actually, but you didn’t seem to pick it up.”</p>
<p>“Oh. So?” I ask.</p>
<p>“It was a girl talking about some film production.” He smirks at me. “I think they want you to make the soundtrack to it.”</p>
<p>“That was it?” I ask confused while we enter the apartment. “We’ve been offered to do soundtracks million of times.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I know. That’s why, at that moment, I asked about how much money we were talking about. Do you want to know what did they say?” He stares at me excited.</p>
<p>“Go on, tell me.”</p>
<p>“50.000 dollars.” He spits.</p>
<p>“What?” My face goes numb. “Are they mad?”</p>
<p>Matt starts to laugh out loud.</p>
<p>“I’m impressed, dude. And it’s not even for me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Congrats!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Back home Clarke was still sleeping on the couch, nothing new. I try not to wake her up while I start cleaning up yesterday’s mess.</p>
<p>“Hhhhmm...”</p>
<p>Fuck, I already did.</p>
<p>“Morning, Clarke.”</p>
<p>“Mmmhhh...” She opens her eyes slightly. “Morning. Did you bring me coffee?”</p>
<p>“What? You don’t even drink coffee. Just get up already and help me out cleaning the mess we made yesterday.”</p>
<p>“How sweet.” She turns around on the couch as if she hadn’t heard me.</p>
<p>“Come on, don’t make me.” I threaten her.</p>
<p>“Make you what? I bet you were too busy going to have breakfast with that band guy already instead of having it with your bestie, so just let me be.” She spits.</p>
<p>She can be a fucking snake whenever she wants, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>“Pardon me?” I say not believing what she just said.</p>
<p>“You heard me well.” She tilts her head a bit. “Do you guys do this eventually? This... morning coffee thing?” She turns her head to me completely.</p>
<p>“What does that even mean?” I laugh at her. I bet she’s still drunk.</p>
<p>“Answer me.”</p>
<p>“I mean, if going to drink a coffee each morning at the same bar means <em>that</em>... then, I guess so. But not intentionally, though.”</p>
<p>“Each?” She remarks.</p>
<p>“It just came to be that way, Clarke. I started coming to the Steem Yard long before he even looked at it from outside.” I keep putting things on the fridge. “And stop it, already.”</p>
<p>“DESTINY?” She gets up of the couch suddenly mimicking a surprised expression.</p>
<p>“I just won’t answer that bullshit.” I sigh.</p>
<p>Clarke went home late that day, we had lunch together and talked about Monday’s assignments, which were a lot. After that, I spent almost the whole night painting an unfinished work that I had. At the end it came out wonderful, but I went to bed at 4:45 AM.</p>
<p>By the next morning I ran to the Steem Yard because I already was late for class.</p>
<p>Alex’s Chevrolet was just at the entrance as always. I open the door with all my strength and it makes a huge noise when it closes behind me. Alex turns to me at the sound of the door slamming.</p>
<p>“Morning Michael!” I turn to Alex, who took the same stool as always. “Morning Alex!” I greet them with a huge smile.</p>
<p>“Whoa! Relax Poppy!” Michael hands me the coffee with a smile before even saying what I wanted.</p>
<p>“Morning blossom.” Alex spits with a grin on his face.</p>
<p>I take a few sips of the coffee that had already cooled down, I bet Michael had already prepared it a while ago. He’s so caring sometimes. Suddenly I notice something different:  Michael didn’t give me the London Cup this time.</p>
<p>“Who allows you to call me that, Alexander? Keep some respect.”</p>
<p>Alex just stares at me with her eyebrows lifted and Michael lets go a small laugh.</p>
<p>He puts a grin on his face again. I look at him for a second and turn to Michael.</p>
<p>“I think you’re mistaken, Michael. This is not my usual cup.” I smile widely at him.</p>
<p>“Yes, I know.” He grabs some glasses and starts wiping them. “That girl from there has been coming around for a few days now so I got to talk a bit to her.”</p>
<p>He points the table near the entrance. There’s a young girl sitting there while reading a Stephen King’s book. She reads while sipping some tea from the London Cup.</p>
<p>“She looks quiet.” I say.</p>
<p>“She is. She’s nice though. She came from Liverpool with her boyfriend and they’re living across the street. I think they’ll be staying here for some time, so I gave her the London Cup. You’re not the new anymore, Poppy. Congrats!” He smiles widely back at me.</p>
<p>“I thought I’d never make it.” I laugh. “Wait. Why hasn’t Alex ever had it? He came long after me.” I ask.</p>
<p>“Well, that’s technically not true. Alex came here for the first time long before you. I wasn’t even working here but my dad.” He lowers his head a bit.</p>
<p>“What? Why haven’t I seen you here before, then?” I turn to Alex.</p>
<p>“I’ve been travelling a lot.” He just says. “Also, you only came here like… when? A few weeks ago?” He sips.</p>
<p>“Well… classes started like… a month ago. And I came here for the first time that same day.”</p>
<p>“More or less then.” Alex says.</p>
<p>“So, you’re taking a rest or something at the moment?” I ask him.</p>
<p>“I’m… actually working on a new album, sweetheart.”</p>
<p>“So what? Can’t you write anywhere but here?” I frown my eyebrows. “I thought rockstars write their songs wherever.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I mean… That’s what they usually do. But I always came to find the essence of the band here. This is where we’re most comfortable after all, I guess.” He raises his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Oh.”</p>
<p>I look at my phone. There’s a lot of messages from Clarke. Fuck, it got late.</p>
<p>“I got to go, guys. I’m late for class. Alex’s paying for mines today.” I get up of the stool and head the exit.</p>
<p>“Don’t you want me to take you to the University?” I hear Alex screaming from the back.</p>
<p>“Thanks! But my friend’s waiting for me at the train station.” I turn to him for a second. “See you, guys!”</p>
<p>I arrive late to class so the literature teacher sees me entering the class, but luckily she says nothing. Hours went by and I finish classes at 13:30. Clarke and I walk past the library on our way out of the faculty. I stand still for a moment doubting if I should stop to get some books on anger management. They may help me after all if I don’t want to mess up again. Well, today everything went well and there weren’t any problems. I guess they’re not necessary. I just need to keep it cool as I did today.</p>
<p>“Poppy? Did u hear me?” I hear Clarke saying.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Were you listening to me?” She sighs. “You could’ve told me if you needed something from the library. Come on.” She starts walking to the library’s entrance.</p>
<p>“What? No, no. I don’t need anything.”</p>
<p>“What? So why did you stop walking?”</p>
<p>“I was wondering if…” I mumble. “Nothing, whatever.”</p>
<p>“What? Are you looking for something?” She asks hesitant.</p>
<p>“No, no. Let’s go, we won’t be able to take the train.”</p>
<p>“Alright…” She gives up.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Listen to me, please.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A new day had started and I was fixing my hair when Maria knocks at my bedroom’s door.</p>
<p>“Alex?” She says.</p>
<p>“Yes, Maria?” I open the door to her.</p>
<p>“These books arrived two days ago while you weren’t here. You came so late at night that I wasn’t able to give them to you.” She hands me the books.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Maria.” I grab them. “Oh, and by the way, I’m not coming for dinner tonight. You can take the rest of the day free when you’re done with your chores.” I end up fixing my hair.</p>
<p>“Oh, wonderful. Thank you so much.” She smiles and heads the laundry room.</p>
<p>I grab the books and make sure that they’re the ones that I’d ordered. I leave them on top of the bed. I grab my phone and I head to the car. By 8:30 AM I arrive to the Steem Yard. I enter the local trying to forget the fact that Michael likes Poppy now and I sit to the same stool as always. Poppy arrived soon today so she’s already sitting on hers. I hear Poppy’s and Michael’s laugh from the entrance.</p>
<p>“Morning, darling.” I greet Poppy while I put my sunglasses on my T-shirt.</p>
<p>“THAT MUST’VE BEEN COMPLETELY HILARIOUS!” She laughs to Michael and turns to me. “Morning, Alex.” She keeps laughing.</p>
<p>“Listen, this is the best part.” Michael approaches himself to the counter and extends his hand so Poppy can lean her ear to him and whispers something to her quickly. Poppy bursts into laughter.</p>
<p>“WHAT? HAHAHAHAHAHA. I can’t believe she said that!” She spits in surprise.</p>
<p>“What can I get you today, Alex?” Michael turns to me holding his laugh.</p>
<p>“Give me some green tea and a croissant, please.” I say.</p>
<p>“Hold on, hold on!” Poppy turns to me. “You got to try this coffee, Alex! I think you may like it.” She says confidently to me.</p>
<p>“What’s that? I get a bit close to her to see her coffee from nearby. “Why does it look pink?” I ask.</p>
<p>“Michael! Give him another one, please.” She turns to Michael.</p>
<p>“Coming.” Michael turns to the coffee maker.</p>
<p>“Listen.” Poppy turns to me again. “I was thinking…” She starts to get shy suddenly. “I was thinking about what we talked the other day.”</p>
<p>“I think you’ll have to be a little more specific if you’re willing me to understand you.” I put both of my elbows at the counter and hold my hands.</p>
<p>“I mean, the helping thing.” She says. “I don’t think it’ll be necessary anymore.”</p>
<p>“What?” I turn my body to her only holding myself at the counter with one arm. “What do you mean?” I frown my eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Listen, I think I won’t mess up anymore.” She gets a small smile. “I mean… I didn’t since the concert.”</p>
<p>“But, Poppy…” I say.</p>
<p>“No, listen!” She interrupts me. “Michael hasn’t got mad at me anytime and I think it’s because I got to manage my personality and…”</p>
<p>“Poppy.” I cut her now.</p>
<p>“No, seriously, listen.” She keeps talking. “Michael’s been laughing a lot already and he doesn’t seem with any kind of remorse, so I think I made it already, I think that…”</p>
<p>“Poppy!” I say reluctant.</p>
<p>“What? Alex, let me finish!” She gets defensive.</p>
<p>“Darling!” I hear how a strident voice gets at my back. “What a coincidence!” I turn to my back.</p>
<p>“Megan?” I ask surprised.</p>
<p>“You got it, babe!” She starts kissing my cheek hardly while I try to get her away from me. “Oh, sweetheart! It’s been so long!”</p>
<p>She grabs the stool next to my left and gets as near to me as possible. Fuck, not now.</p>
<p>“How did you…?” I mumble. “Whatever, hold on a second.” I turn to Poppy who’s drinking her coffee and looking sideways at me.</p>
<p>Michael lends me the coffee and I hear her order something from my behind.</p>
<p>“Listen, Poppy. What I was trying to say is that you should…” Suddenly Megan leans on me. She’s chewing some gum and I can smell from here her cologne.</p>
<p>“Hello, sweetheart!” Megan says enthusiastic to Poppy. “I’m one of Alex best friends! Did he talk about me to you?”</p>
<p>Poppy shakes her head to her with a surprised expression.</p>
<p>“Oh, he didn’t? How rude of you, Alexander!” She clings more into me.</p>
<p>Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.</p>
<p>“Well, let me tell you. We’ve been hanging out sometimes, you know, very casually. Well kind of often to be honest, hahaha!” She puts a big smile on her face. “Well, actually, we have a date today. Don’t we, Alex?” She starts bragging about it.</p>
<p>“Megan…” I tilt my head a bit to her while I try to get her from over me. “I was talking to Poppy, if you don’t mind giving us a minute.”</p>
<p>“No, no. It’s fine, really.” Poppy spits. “I was already leaving, anyways.”</p>
<p>FUCK!</p>
<p>“No Poppy, wait…” I try to stop her but she’s already getting up from the stool.</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you, darling!” Megan screams while chewing her gum. “See you soon! Hahaha.”</p>
<p>How is she so stubborn? Fuck! I couldn’t even talk properly to Poppy. Whatever.</p>
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